THIS IS A SURPRISE POST FOR MY GIRL WHO IS ON A FLIGHT FROM DELHI RIGHT NOW, so lets make this surprise THE BEST EVER! I hope you guys will like my sharing, since I'm totally getting outside of my comfort zone!

Maui, many months later...

Something magical happened exactly two years ago...

Exactly 2 year ago I was sitting in the audience of ManTalks (if you have not heard of it, you can check it out here: https://mantalks.com/).

It's basically a 3 hours night event where 3 speakers, typically men but not always, share their stories on a given theme in a very open and vulnerable way, with the sole purpose of helping people out with their own struggles in life. Man Talks had huge success in Vancouver and by now spread to other North American cities. It was my second Man Talks event and I was greatly impressed.
As I was sitting in the front of the audience, feeling the energy of the speakers, I was thinking to myself: One day I could be one of the speakers on stage. I do have quite a life journey to share with others...

Summer yoga fun in Vancouver seawall, one of our favorite pass times

Before the third speaker started, I went to the back of the room to get some water, and before I could go back to my seat, the talk started so I got stuck in the last row. If I knew that this simple move changed my whole life, I would cry out of shear happiness right there.

For no particular reason I look to my left and my gaze landed on something that made my jaw drop.

I saw the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, emanating the intoxicating aura of gentle grace.

...

...gasp....

She was smiling gently, utterly focused on the speaker on stage, totally unaware of her silent beauty screaming all around. And in that moment, something very powerful and strange happened: I remembered that woman. I cant' explain how or why, but as soon as my eyes fell on her, I had a strong inner feeling that I've known her before, for a very long time, maybe in a different time in a different world. It made me bit dizzy as the visceral feeling of memory overcame my body.

Strawberry fields, New York City. Yes we have traveled the world together!

Pointless to say, I remember nothing of what the last speaker said. All I could think about was how am I going to speak to her.

She was with an East Indian looking girl and that girl saved me. After the last speaker ran off the stage in the round of applause, I mustered my courage and approached the girls and asked in the most nonchalant way I could:

"How did you guys like the talk?"
The Indian girl introduced herself (sorry her name vanished right after she said it) and I asked the name of her friend, my angel... Gladys...she uttered quietly with that air of shy, humble, beauty. My heart was racing. Thanks to all Gods in all the worlds, the Indian girl seemed to like me and asked me if she can add me on Facebook. I agreed and asked them if they want to have dinner with my friends. They said they already have a commitment with other friends. And that was it, we both went our own way. And my hopes got a sledge hammer impact...

Goofing around in Rome. Portugal was the next stop on this trip. We did quite a few more since then!

Obviously, first thing that I checked when I went on Facebook after the dinner with my friends, was if I can find Gladys in the friends of Neeta (that was her name I think!).

...and I found her!

There she was! Gladys Mak, dropping a smile from her profile picture that could stop dead in tracks a raging King Kong knocking off few skyscrapers. I almost cried with exhilaration. She accepted my friend request shorty after....

Prague is one of our favorites!

....and I just could not behold myself, I had to drop it right off the bat: Hi Gladys, I have to meet you, do you have time tomorrow? I have something important to share with you!

Not very classy, I know. I've never had the knack how to talk to ladies...But I just wanted to run to her, kneel down, hold her hand and tell her: I have known you forever and you know me! This is meant to be, you and me are coming together again and this time will be the best!

None of that happened of course. She told me she is flying off from Vancouver back to Hong Kong tomorrow, and that she already had plans for breakfast. My heart was torn apart, but hope remained. At least I had her contact! She told me that she might come back to Vancouver sometimes soon. Oh God how badly I wished that I fell asleep and woke up on the day of her arrival, so I would not have to go through the wait.

Saltspring Island

She came back 10 days later (or was it two weeks? eternity!) , and in those 10 days we shared bit of our lives to each other. In that time I realized that I found a rare gem. A woman of extraordinary beauty, who somehow managed not to use it to her advantage and remained humble. A woman of sharp intelligence and amazingly open mind. A woman of extraordinary kindness.

When I met her in Sheraton Hotel 10 days later, she fell in my arms and never left them. Rest is history guys. This is where the real story begins, and we had countless ups and downs, and yes I fucked up big time with this gentle kind-hearted being, but we made it though and 2 years later we stand together stronger than ever.

Belize. Caribbean paradise of San Pedro

Now, looking back, and knowing this incredible being so much more, on such a deep level, I know that I am the luckiest guy in the world to call her my girlfriend and future wife. Some of you here were walking alongside our journey, namely my brother @lichtblick and you know that we almost parted, as my own shadows kept on doubting our relationship, yet somehow I sorted my shit out and I am here today, to tell you, that I have never loved anyone so deeply, that I have never appreciated anyone so much, that I have not admired anyone so much and MOST OF ALL: I HAVE NEVER FELT LOVED SO MUCH in return.

Babe....shit I am crying when I say this, forgive my language but you know me better than anyone:

I love you. Thank you for being in my life!

<3

I love you my little Glady. My sweet @gladysmak

Please don't ever change. You are perfect. The most generous, loving, kind, humble, hardworking and beautiful human I've ever met, and having you as partner is a lottery winning ticket right there!

Thank you for being so brave and relentless in your love for me, despite my crazy artist manner, despite all my frikin moods and run aways. I think you are the only person in the world who can stand me, and who can tame me while still giving me freedom to be who I am!

Just stop reading my mind all the time and saying same things and having the same ideas at the same time as me, it's kind scary! :D

Thanks for doing all the crazy things with me such as illegal camping!:)

And for you Steemit fellow warriors of light: you were part of our journey. We both got on Steemit only few months after we met, so we consider you a significant part of our life. Thank you for all the love and support you have shown us in this year and half, you guys rock!

Post scriptum: 10 months later I was indeed standing on stage of Man Talks, holding a mic and sharing my story just as I wished the day when I met Gladys, in front of packed audience from which my baby love @gladysmak was smiling at me.
And one more cherry on the top of cake: that Indian girl Neeta, who added me on Facebook, added Gladys in her friends only moments before she added me. Gladys told me that later, I was blown away. If it wasn't for that agent of Divine grace disguised in random stranger , I would have never crossed path with the woman of my life. How awesome is that synchronicity?

This picture is from Man Talks audience, right after I finished my speech. Do you believe in fate?:)!

Life is a funny thing

I hope your flight was great babe and that you liked the surprise! Welcome home!

Huge thanks for EVERYONE for your support. All $ from this post will go to a lovely present for this amazing girl who rocks my world and whose blog rocks Steemit too! :)

LOVE YA ALL!

Jan
follow @jankasparec & @gladysmak

Did I forget to mention that I love you? :P